Draft appliance



April 10, 1928.

R. A. MORTON DRAFT APPLIANCE Filed March 27, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l .oooo ooeo INVENTOR ROLL/I 152/701? TON ATTORNEYS April 10, 1928. I 1,665,817

R. A. MORTON DRAFT APPLIANCE Filed March 27. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tlifil y U I 7- INVENTOR 25 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROLL-A A. MORTON, F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN WHEELEI) SCRAPER COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DRAFT APPLIANCE.

Application filed March 27, 1924. Serial No. 702,382.

My invention relates to draft appliances for coupling one vehicle to another to permit drawing one vehicle by the other, and my invention is particularly designed, although not necessarily, for use in conjunction with the grading and loading apparatus embodied in application Serial No. (599,860, filed March 17, 1924, by Edward P. Henry and myself It is a purpose of my invention to provide a draft appliance by which a vehicle, such as a motor truck, when backed into a drawn or trailing vehicle, is automatically coupled to the trailing vehicle, the uncoupling of the two vehicles being effected by manual operation of the appliance, performed preferably from the drawn vehicle at a point remote from the appliance.

I will describe only one form of draft a-}:) pliance embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view showing in top plan and partly in section one form of draft appliance embodying my invention in coupled position with respect to drawing and trailing vehicles;

Figure 2 is a view showing in side elevation and partly in section the appliance shown in Figure 1 in uncoupled position with respect to the. drawing vehicle;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section. showing in top plan the draw head of the applianceshown in the preceding views;

Figure 4- is a horizontal sectional view of the draw head shown in Figure 3.;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, with the coupling device of the drawing head in open position;

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional \lEW'tfilCtH on the line 6-6 of Figure 3:

Figure 7 is a view SllOWillg in front end elevation the draw head and coupling device shown in Figure 3.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Re t'erring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to- Figures 1 and 2, the draft appliance in'its present embodiment is shown as applied to the forward end of a vehicle V adapted to be drawn and trailing a vehicle V, the latter being preferably in the form of a motor truck. The appliance includes a draft bar comprising a rear section I) and a forward section b, the section I) being mounted for swinging movement in a horizontal; plane about a bolt or pin as a center, while the forward section b is mounted for vertical swinging mov'ement about a bolt 16 as a center. The bolt 15 is secured to and extends between the plates 17 and 18 secured to the chassis of the vehicle V, while the bolt 1:6 extends through the section b and provides a pivotal mounting for spaced arms 19 constituting a part of the front section 6. The section 7) also includes a beam 20 formed of wood or other suitable material and to which is secured a metallic frame comprising spaced arms 21 and a draw head H The arms 19 are ailso'secured to the beam 20. but at. right angles to the arms 21.

The rear section Z) is also made up of a wooden beam 22 to which metal strips or arms 23 are connected and extended to loosely receive the bolt 15 to provide the pivotal mounting. A wear plate 24 is secured to the plate 18, and upon this plate the rear section 7) is adapted to move, as will be understood. The plate 18 serves to support the rear section b in horizontal position, while the forward section Z), although being mounted to move vertically, is supported in longitudinally alined position with respect to the rear section 7) by means of a spring 25 which is adapted to be connected at a suitable point on the vehicle V and tothe forward section 7) through a connecting link 26.

The draw head H provides a mounting for a coupling device designated generally at D, and this device is adapted to engage a coupling pinv K removably mounted in a guide member G secured by any suitable means to the rear end of the chassis of the vehicle V. lVhen the coupling device is in couplingposition with respect to the pin K,.1t will be clear that through the medium of the draft bar the trailing vehicle V is coupled to the motor vehicle V, While by virtue of the movable sections of the draft bar, the trailing vehicle is free to be moved in any path, that is, with respect to the Vertical and horizontal and within certain limits, and independently of the path of movement of the vehicle V.

Referring now to'Figures 3 to 7, inclusive, the draw head H is shown as comprising upper and lower plates 27 and 28 riveted to side plates 29 so as to provide therebetween a cavity or pocket 30. These plates' 27 and 28 are continuations of the forward ends of the arm 21. The coupling device D includes jaws j and y" pivoted on separate pins'32 secured in the plates 27 and 28' and extending through the pocket 30. The outer ends of the jaws j and j project from the draw head H and are tapered as shown, to facilitate the entrance of the coupling pin K between the jaws and into semi-circular recesses 33. The confronting sides of the jaws are formed with pockets 3% in which the opposite endsrof a coiled expansible spring are received. This spring functions to expand the jaws as will be understood. On the outer edges of the jaws adjacent the pockets 34 cam surfaces 36 are formed, adapted to be engaged by the parallel portions 37 ofa locking member L. In advance of the pockets 3d at points adjacent the recesses '33, the jaws j and j are connected by toggles T, the links of which are pivoted to allow the jaws under the action of the spring 35 to move to open position, and further to latch the jaws in open position owing to the engagement of shoulders 38 on confronting ends of the links when the central pivots of the links move into a substantially dead center position, or very slightly beyond this'dead center position, as clearly illustrated in Figure 5. These toggles are adapted to be broken orcollapsed upon the movement of the coupling pin k inwardly between the jaws, it being understood that the pin will strike the toggles and cause them to collapse to the position shown in Figure 4, thereby allowing the jaws to be closed againstthe tension of the spring 35 by the locking member L.

.The locking member L which is mounted for sliding movementwithin the pocket 30 is designed to lock the jaws j and j in closed position or in coupling position with respect to the pin K. The locking position of the member L is illustrated in Figure 4, and the non-locking positionis illustrated in Figure 5. It will be noted that there is aslight working clearance 58 between the outer sides of the parallel portions 37 of this locking member and the side plates 29. The member L is normally urged to the locking position and is adapted to be moved to nonlocking position'through mechanism mounted on the draft bar and vehicle V, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Thismechanisn'i ineludes an actuating rod 39 provided at its forward end with a flattened extension 40 provided with a depending pin 41 (Figure 6) which is fitted within a suitable opening formed in the locking member L. This pin '41 extends through a slot 42 formed in the upper plate 27 so as to allow the necessary movement of the pin in moving the member L to. lockingor non-locking position. To guide the extension 40 in its longitudinal movement a yoke 43 is secured to the plate 27 by means of bolts 44. The rear end of the rod 39 is pivotally connected to a lever v45 at a point below the fulcrum point ll) of zontally disposed, lever 52 through a corn necting rod 53 and the lever 52 1S fulcrumed at a point upon a. bracket 55 secured to the plate 1'7. r-r spring 56, the power of which is sufficient to overcome that of spring 35, is connected to the lever 52 and to the plate 17 so as to normally urge the rod 513 member l to the non-lockingposition shown in Figure t will be understood, of course, that the rod 5? is so mountcd,as by a slidi g connection atitsfront end, that it may normally niove'forward under the action of the spring 55. j

The operation of the appliance is as follows:

In order to couple the trailing vehicle V- to the drawing vehicle V, the drawing vehicle is moved rearwardly, and with the coupling device in the open position shown in Figure 5 it will he clear that as the coupling pin K moves rearwardly between the jaws j and y" it will strike the toggles T, thus collapsing the latter and releasing the jaws. Immediately upon releasing the jaws, the locking member, which is urged forwardly under the action of the spring 56, will cause an advance of the parallel extensions 37, with the extensions engaging the cam surfaces 36 and thus movin the jaws to closed position against the tension of the spring 35 so that they arenow in embrac-' ing position with respect to the coupling pin K. It will be understood that after the free ends of the extensions pass beyond the cam surfaces 36, they engage the flat edges of the jaws, as shown in Figure 4:, thus lock ner, except to manually adjust the draft bar in order that the draw head may be disposed within the area defined by the guiding member G.. If the draw head is disposed within the area of the guiding member G rearward movement of the vehicle V will cause the draw head to strike the inner surface of the guiding member and because of the shape of the guide member the draw head will be guided to a position in which the coupling pin will engage the coupling device.

In order to effect an uncoupling of the two vehicles, the locking member L can be moved to nonlocking position through a rearward pull upon the rod 57, thereby actuating the mechanisi'n against the tension of the spring 56 to cause the extensions 37 of the locking member to be retracted to the position shown in Figure 5, whereby the spring is free to move the jaws and 7" to open position to permit the withdrawal of the coupling pin K.

Because of the draft tension imposed on the jaws and the pressure of the spring 35, the opening ofthese jaws is quite sudden, which causes the toggles to fly out to a dead center or past center position.

Vhen the jaws are in this open position a slight working clearance 59 is maintained between the outer sides of the jaws and. the inner sides of the side plates 29. Similarly, a slight working clearance 60 is maintained betweenthe outer sides of the jaws and the inner sides of the parallel locking extensions 37, except at the tips of the latter,

which bear against the cam surfaces 36. These locking extensions 37 maintain the working clearance 59 between the outer sides of the jaws and the side plates 29, except for the momentary spreading of the jaws when the pin K strikes the toggles T and forces them from their past center position back to a folded position. At. this moment of impact. the resiliency of the locking extensions will permit the jaws to spread; or the spring 56 will yield and permit the locking member L to move backwardly sufficiently to permit the n'iomentary spreading of the jaws.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of draft appliance embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

that is claimed is:

1. In combination, a drawing vehicle and a trailing vehicle, a coupling pin adapted to be carried by one of said vehicles, a coupling device adapted to be carried by the other of said vehicles, and including spaced jaws which are normally urged to a releasing or receiving position with respect to said pin, and yieldable means for urging the jaws to a gripping position with respect to said pin and against the tendency of the jaws to on cupy said releasing or receiving position and including a member disposed parallel with the jaws and bearing on the outer sides thereof.

2. A coupling device comprising a pair of jaws movable to occupy pin releasing and pin gripping positions, yieldable means for urging the jaws to pin releasing position, and a member straddling the jaws and hearing on the outer sides thereof movable to occupy one ext-ren'ie position in which the jaws are free to respond to the action of the urging means and another extreme position in which the jaws are forced to gripping position by the member against the action of said urging means.

S. A coupling device comprising a pair of jaws movable to occupy pin releasing position and pin gripping position, yielda'ble means for urging the jaws to pin releasing position, a toggle connection between the jaws for latching the latter in pin releasing position and adapted to be broken by the movement of a coupling pin between the jaws, and a member movable to occupy one extreme position in which the jaws are free to respond to the action of said urging means and another extren'ie position in which the jaws are forced to pin gripping position against the action of said urging means when said toggle is broken.

4. A coupling device comprising a pairof jaws movable to occupy pin releasing position and pin gripping position, yieldable means for urging the jaws to pin releasing position, means between the jaws for latching the latter in pin releasing position and adapted to be broken by the n'iovement of a coupling pin between the jaws, and a member movable to occupy one extreme position in which the jaws are free to respond to the action of said urging means and another extreme position in which the jaws are forced to pin gripping position against the action of said urging means when said latching means is in nonlatching position.

5. A device comprising a pair of jaws, yieldable means for urging the jaws to open position, means acting to latch the jaws in open position and adapted to be actuated by a coupling pin to release the jaws, and a member normally acting to move and lock the jaws in closed position, said member being normally restrained by said latching means.

6. A coupling device con'iprising a head, a pairof jaws pivoted in the head to occupy open and closed positions, a spring between the jaws for urging the latter to open position, toggles connecting the jaws, said togserving to latch the jaws in open position and adapted to release the jaws under movement of a coupling pin inwardly of the jaws, and a member slidable in the head and yieldablyurgedtoward the jaws to move the latter to closed position and lock the jaws in closed position.

7. A coupling device as embodied in claim 6, wherein the jaws are provided with cam surfaces adapted to be engaged by the member for the purpose described.

8. A coupling apparatus comprising a draft bar supported for vertical and horizontal movements, a coupling device on the draft bar capable of occupying open and closed positions, means for urging the device to open position, means for latching the device in open position, said latching means being adapted to be engaged by a coupling pin for releasing the device, a member for locking the device in closed position, and a mechanism partly supported on the draft bar and having 'yieldable means forurging the member to locking position, and adapted to be manually operatedto move the mem her to non-locking position.

9. A coupling apparatus as embodied in claim 8, wherein the mechanism is mounted to permit movement of the draft bar without interfering with the operation of the member by the mechanism.

10. In combination, a vehicle, and a draft bar com prising sections arranged end to end, one of said sections being mounted on the vehicle for swinging movementabont a vertical axis, and the other section connected to the first section to swing about a horizontal axis, and a spring connecting the second section with the vehicle in a manner to yieldably support the second section in longitudinally alined position with respect to the first secti on.

11. A coupling device comprising a draw head, a pair of jaws pivoted in the head to occupy open and closed positions, a spring interjiiosed between the jaws for urging the same to open position, a member slidable in the head and including spaced extensions arranged parallel with the jaws, said jaws having tapered free ends and cam surfaces,

and means for actuating the member to cause the extensions to engage the cam surfaces for closing-the jaws against the action of said spring.

12. A coupling device coin 'n'is'ing a draw head, a pair of jaws pivoted in the head to occupy open and closed positions, a spring interposed between the jaws for urging the same to open position, a member slidable in the head and including spaced extensioi'is, said jaws having tapered free ends and cam surfaces, toggles connecting the jaws and serving to latch the jaws in open position, and means for moving the member to cause the extensions to engage or disengage the cam surfaces to allow the spring to open the jaws or to close the jaws when the toggles are in nonlatching position.

13. A coupling device comprising a draft member, a head mounted thereon, a pair of jaws pivoted to said head, said jaws beingadapted to engage a coupling pin-for effecting a coupling engagement, and means movable longitudinally of said draft member and said head for locking the jaws in coupled engagement with said pin.

14. A coupling device comprising a draft member, a head rigidly secured thereto, a pair of jaws pivotedto said head, said jaws being adaptedto engage a coupling pin for effecting a coupling engagement, means movable longitudinally of said head for locking the jaws in coupled engagementwith said pin, and releasing means operable to" her to locking position and adapted to be manually operated to move the member. to unlocking position.

it. In combination, a vehicle, a draft bar comprising sections, one of said sections being supported for swinging movement about a vertical axis and the other section connected to said first section and mounted to swing about a horizontal axis, a coupling device on said draft bar capable of occupying open and closed positions, means for urging the device to open position, a member movable longitudinally of said draft bar for locking the device in closed position, and a mechanism partly supported on the draft bar and having yieldable means for urging the member to locking position, and adapted to be manually operated to move the member to unlocking position.

17. A. coupling device comprising a pair of jaws pivotally supported on fixed centers on said coupling device, and capable of occupying open and closed positions for engaging with a coope'ating coupling memher, and a U-shaped member slidably sup ported on said coupling device and adapted to embrace the outer sides of said jaws for holding said jaws in closed position.

18. A coupling device comprising a pair of aws pivotally supported on fixed centers on said coupling device and capable of occupying open and closed positions for; engaging with a'cooperating coupling member, a U-shaped member slidably supported on said coupling device and adapted to embrace the outer sides of said aws for holding said jaws in closedposition, and means for pre- IOU venting said U-shaped member from moving said vehicles. coupling mechanism on said draft bar adapted releasably to engage a draft member on the other vehicle, said coupling mechanism comprising a pivotally swinging jaw adapted to engage with said draft member. a locking member sliding relatively to said draft bar in the plane of pivotal movement of said jaw for locking the latter in coupling position, and releasing mechanism operatively connected to said locking member for moving the latter to releasing position.

20. In combination, a first coupling member adapted for mounting on a pulling vehicle, a second coupling member adapted for mounting on a trailing vehicle, one of said coupling members comprising a pair of jaws, and guide means adjacent one of said coupling members and comprising sloping surfaces for deflecting and guiding said coupling members laterally into coupling engagement.

21. A coupling device comprising a draw head, a pair of jaws mounted thereon and adapted to occupy closed and open positions for engaging and releasing a cooperating coupling pin, and toggle links connecting said jaws and serving to hold the latter open until. said coupling pin is moved into operative position between said jaws.

22. A coupling device comprising a draw head, a pair of jaws movably supported thereon and adapted to occupy closed and open positions for engaging and releasing a cooperating coupling pin, spring means normally tending to open said jaws, locking mechanism comprising spring means normally tending to close said jaws, and link means connecting said jaws and serving to hold the latter open until said coupling pin is moved into operative position between said jaws.

ROLLA A. MORTON. 

